HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015_0922 -Minutes Open_APPROVEDCOUNTY OF KAUAI
Minutes of Meeting
OPEN SESSION
Approved as circulated 11/24/15
Board /Committee:
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Meeting Date
September 22, 2015
Location
Mo'ikeha Building, Liquor Control Commission, Meeting Room
Start of Meeting: 2:02 p.m.
End of Meeting: 2:43 p.m.
3
Present
Chair Roy Morita; Vice Chair John Low. Members: Nancy Golden; Elizabeth Hahn; Jeffrey Iida; Richard Jose; Karen Matsumoto
Also: Deputy Attorney Nick Courson; Deputy Attorney Teresa Tumbaga; Boards & Commissions Office Staff. Support Clerk
Barbara Davis; Jay Furfaro; Director of HR Janine Rapozo
Excused
Absent
SUBJECT
DISCUSSION
ACTION
Call To
Chair Morita called the meeting to order at 2:02
Order /Roll Call
p.m. with 7 members present.
Approval of
Open Session Minutes of August 25, 2015
Mr. Iida moved to approve the minutes as
Minutes
circulated. Ms. Hahn seconded the motion.
Motion carried 7:0
Business
CSC 2015 -06 Discussion on adopting Guidelines for Implementing Civil
Service Commission Procedures for the Selection, Evaluation and Dismissal
of the Director of Human Resources and possible decision - making to
schedule a Public Hearing on adding such Rule Changes as Subchapter 7
(On-going)
Attorney Courson stated he met with Boards and Commissions and some
concerns came up, which have been researched and addressed. Basically the
concern was did HRS (Hawai`i Revised Statutes §76 -75) provide any rules for
the appointment of the personnel director and the answer is yes. HRS does
provide something but it is real scanty. The merit appeals board, which is this
Commission, shall appoint and may at pleasure remove a personnel director,
who shall be the chief administrative officer ofthe department of civil service.
The director shall, at the time of the director's appointment, and thereafter, be
thoroughly familiar with the principles and methods of personnel
administration and shall believe in applying merit principles and scientific
Civil Service Commission
Open Session
September 22, 2015
Page 2
SUBJECT
DISCUSSION
ACTION
administrative methods to public personnel administration. The Commission
may want to make sure that is incorporated into the selection rules, but it is not
something that would probably be overlooked; it is a pretty basic thing. The
"may at pleasure remove" is the main thing; appoint and remove is completely
consistent with the Charter. This review is, however, still on- going.
Attorney Courson also took the opportunity to introduce his colleague Teresa
(Tumbaga) who will be taking over as counsel for the Civil Service
Commission.
CSC 2015 -15 Memo dated 8/27/15 from the Charter Review Commission
requesting nput from the Civil Service Commission on Article XV of the
Kauai County Charter
Staff explained that any changes they wish to make to the Charter will go
back to the Charter Review Commission, and if appropriate it will be
written up in ballot form and placed before the voters in the 2016 election.
It was further explained that the Charter Review Commission is scheduled
to sunset in 2016, but has been an active Commission for the past ten years.
Thereafter the next Commission to be appointed by the Mayor, and
confirmed by the Council, would convene in ten years. If the Commission
has changes they would like to make, but do not make the 2016 ballot, a
request can still go to the County Council as a Resolution with a request for
ballot consideration, or it can be initiated by voter petition. All changes to
the Charter have to go on the ballot for voter approval. Suggestions to the
Charter Review Commission should be in their hands by the end of
December to allow time for the CRC to work on the wording, to send it to
the County Attorney for legal review, and be returned to the CRC to prepare
it for the final submittal to the State Elections Office. Staff also noted it
was very important for the Civil Service Commission, in particular, to allow
sufficient time for the Attorneys to research any suggested changes since
their rules and the Charter overlap in many areas with the HRS.
Civil Service Commission
Open Session
September 22, 2015
Page 3
SUBJECT
DISCUSSION
ACTION
Mr. Low stated that he thought the Task Force had done a pretty complete
job on addressing the issues, with the majority having been implemented,
and that we are going in the direction we want to go.
Chair Morita said this item would remain on -going to November
Mr. Low moved to defer CSC 2015 -15. Mr. Iida
seconded the motion. Motion carried 7:0
CSC 2015 -16 Request from Chair Morita for discussion and possible
decision - making on the method to raise the step level for the Director of
Human Resources position
a. Salary Commission Resolution Nos. 2012 -1, 2012 -2, and 2012 -3
Chair Morita explained that last year he and Mr. Low went to the Salary
Commission on this issue, but felt it got mixed in with the raises. The Chair
would like to resubmit a memo back to the Salary Commission for the step up
and keep it separated from anyone asking for raises. The Commission
experienced the inversion in asking Mr. Takatsuki why he did not want to take
the Director's position to which he replied he would be taking a pay cut. With
the increased responsibilities of the Director it is justifiable that we make that
request again to the Salary Commission. Mr. Low was in total agreement, and
said this time they need to specifically show the Salary Commission the
additions and areas of responsibility because he was not convinced they saw
that the last time. Staff stated that the Salary Commission did give the position
that step up, but the Salary Resolution was rejected in total by the County
Council.
Ms. Hahn asked if the process was to bring it up to the Salary Commission, but
it still has to be approved by the County Council to which the response was
yes. Ms. Hahn asked if it had to wait; was it something that could be brought
up as an individual item. Mr. Furfaro advised that the Salary Commission's
Civil Service Commission
Open Session
September 22, 2015
SUBJECT
DISCUSSION
ACTION
next meeting is October 5, and if the Civil Service Commission wants to renew
their position in asking to move the position up, since the duties and scope are
there, they should take action today so something can be presented on the 51h.
Ms. Hahn moved that the Civil Service
Commission create a memo requesting a tier
change for the position of the Director of Human
Resources.
Mr. Furfaro also noted that the Salary Commission would take testimony if
any members of the Civil Service Commission wanted to present rationale for
moving the tier. Chair Morita stated that he, Mr. Low, and Mr. Takatsuki
provided testimony last year. Mr. Iida said they should also do the same when
it goes before the County Council. Mr. Furfaro shared some of the critical
path based on the CAFR (financial audit), which is done mid - December. The
Council begins their budget process on March 15, so the timing would be after
the CAFR is reconciled, but prior to the March 15 deadline. Chair Morita said
if there are a lot of salary increases, because the Commission is not asking for
a pay raise, could they do a money bill to keep it separate. Mr. Furfaro said
the most important question is, is there money left over from the CAFR? At
that point the Commission could formulate the strategy of either going after a
separate money bill, or going in as part of the total salary review for the entire
administrative staff that is covered by that.
Mr. Iida seconded the motion. Motion carried
7:0
Director's
CSC 2015 -17 September 2015 Director's Report
Report
Ms. Rapozo summarized by saying a lot of the work from the HRIS Task
Force is starting to come to fruition, and they launched the on- boarding
program whereby new hires are now doing their forms on -line before they
come in for their first day of orientation, which saves a lot of time. Ms.
Rapozo stated they are hoping to sign off on the contract with the vendor for
the Time and Attendance program, and start working on a module where
people can do their leave requests as well as their timesheets on -line, it can be
approved on line, and be merged into the payroll s stem, so there won't be the
Civil Service Commission
Open Session
September 22, 2015
0M,
SUBJECT
DISCUSSION
ACTION
type of inputting they have now. A letter was sent to all of the unions to see if
they have any comment on this particular change and we are awaiting their
response. Time and Attendance will start with one of the units, which is
simpler to compute, and the Fire Department, which is one of the more
difficult payrolls. The challenge will come at the end when we convert UPW
to this system because employees in that unit do not have computers assigned
to each of them. Ms. Rapozo congratulated Debbie Ponce who has been
promoted to the HR Specialist position and is in charge of employee
development training and worker's compensation; she was formerly doing the
benefits. Interview and selection of the person for the HRIS position has been
completed, and they will hopefully be on board by the next Commission
meeting. Ms. Rapozo said the County is in the process of going island -wide
with automated trash after reaching an agreement with UPW. Mr. Jose
questioned retirement to which Ms. Rapozo stated that was a workshop that is
held every year to help employees prepare for when they are ready to retire.
Different speakers are brought in so the employees know about their Social
Security or employment retirement system, what the changes are, and what
Mr. Iida moved to receive the Director's report.
plan they are in.
Mr. Jose seconded the motion. Motion carried
7:0
Executive
Mr. Jose moved to go into Executive Session at
Session
2:30 p.m. Mr. Iida seconded the motion.
Motion carried 7:0
Deputy Attorney Tumbaga read the Hawai'i
Revised Statutes provision to take the
Commission into Executive Session for ES -015
to approve Executive Minutes of 8/25/15 and
ES -010: RFA 2015 -01 to review and accept the
Findings of Fact, Conclusion of Law from the
Attorney General's Office as fully described on
the posted agenda.
Civil Service Commission
Open Session
September 22, 2015
1 •
SUBJECT
DISCUSSION
ACTION
Return to Open
Session
Ratify Commission actions taken in Executive Session for items:
Mr. Low moved to ratify the Commission's
actions. Mr. Iida seconded the motion. Motion
carried 7:0
ES -015 and ES -010
Announcements
Next Meeting: Tuesday, October 27, 2015 — 3:00 p.m.
Adjournment
Mr. Jose moved to adjourn the meeting at 2:43
p.m. Mr. Iida seconded the motion. Motion
carried 7:0
Submitted by:
Barbara Davis, Staff Support Clerk
() Approved as circulated.
O Approved with amendments. See minutes of
Reviewed and Approved by:
meeting.
Roy Morita, Chair